Q&A: Bobby Bowden reflects on the moments of realization of key moments in his career

Thursday

Dec 31, 2009 at 12:01 AM

When did you know you would be a successful coach?

It's funny when you think you know that. My first head coaching job, at South Georgia College [a junior college], we won our first two games and I got to thinking I might not ever lose. The next week, we played Jones Junior College from Mississippi and we got stomped. They went on to the Junior College Rose Bowl that year and they won that, too. And they just beat the crap out of us. I realized, 'Uh-oh, this might be harder.'

Then I was the coach at Samford, and we went 31-6 and won two small-college bowls. But I had a hard time getting responses from major colleges, unless I went to a major college as an assistant. That's what I did with FSU.

The truth is you hope to be successful. I'm not sure you never know for certain.

When did you know FSU could be a national power?

I finally realized it when we lost to Miami 26-25 in 1987, and then came in second in the nation. I knew it could be done then, that we had the resources and the talent pool in this state. There are a lot of schools you can coach where you can't win national championships. And there are schools where you know you can: Florida State, Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, LSU ... you can win national championships there.

When did you know that 2009 would be your final season?

I thought all along I would be back for one year. But after talking [with school officials Nov. 30], I figured it out that day, and we announced it the next day.

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